Construction of striking implements



June 26, 1945. T. L. JOHNSON v2,379,006

VGONSTRUC'I2|:0N OF STRIKING IMPLEMENTS Filed Aug. 30, 1943 I NVENroR;

THEopoR; -L JOHNSON Me' A, c z ATTORNEY Patented June 26, 1945 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CONSTRUCTION F STRIKING IMPLEMENTS Theodore L.Johnson, St. Louis, Mo.

Application August 30, 1943, Serial No. 500,723

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in construction of strikingimplements, and more particularly to improved materials and an improvedrelation of elements going to make up various articles for manual usagein swinging or impact service.

Among the numerous applications may be noted baseball bats, cricketbats, .billiard cues, golf club shafts, handles for various manualimplements and tools, and similar elongate articles. 'I'he foregoinglist of possible usages of the present improvements is not intended asexhaustive, but merely to exemplify the manifold possibilities ofutilization. However, for purposes of brevity the description will beconned to construction of a presently preferred form of baseball bat.

Various attempts have heretofore been made to manufacture baseball batsand the like, of composite construction. It is known, for example, toprovide a bat with a core or the like of metal tubing for purposes ofadding strength. It is known to employ a variety of materials in theconstruction of implements of this general nature. However, so far asadvised, all of such earlier proposed constructions have failed ofgeneral adoption, for various reasons of inadequate balance, servicecharacteristics, flexibility, appearance, diculty or high costs ofmanufacture, and other reasons. l

The one-piece baseball .bats formed of wood and in general usage inregulation baseball, are subject to a number of shortcomings, amongwhich may be noted the eifects of wood grain, often resulting in zonesof weakness in the bat, sometimes also affecting the balance of theimplement, and alwayssubject to the uncertainties of hidden defectswhich frequently result in splitting or breakage. It is accordingly amajor general ob- .lective of the invention to overcome each and all ofthe defects as now existing in conventional regulation baseball bats andlike implements.

A further object of the present invention is to couple the advantagesabove noted, with facilities for adjusting the axial balance of the bator other shaft, individually to the preference of the user, this beingpossible without the requirement of any special skill or tools for thepurpose.

Yet another object of the invention is attained in a bat, shaft, orsimilar implement of substantially split-proof construction; one whichis, for practical purposes, of homogeneous construction and sectionalmakeup, and which, being built up from and upon a core portion willnotexhibit any of the usual weaknesses due to internal defects.

. which:

Yet another object of importance is'attainedin a construction of shaftfor a sporting implement or manual tool, which, although of fabricated.

construction and great strength, nevertheless will approximate infinish, a surface which is close in appearance and reactive effect tothese characteristics of natural wood, whereby, upon attaining generalusage, the article will to a minimum extent if at all, disturb theaccepted performance and appearance characteristics of the olderkone-piece wooden articles.

The foregoing and still further objects will more clearly appear fromthe following detailed description of a preferred construction ofbaseball bat, particularly when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing Fig. 1 is an elevation of a baseball batconstructed in accordance with present improvements, a fragmentaryportion ofthe striking zone thereof being broken away to show in sectioncertain features of internal arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation er1-- larged to substantiallyfull scale, this section bef ing taken along line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on a full scale,of the outer end portion of a baseball batbuilt according to presentimprovements.

Although articles within the intended scope of the appended claims maybe produced by a number of processes, or Aby variations in steps of thesingle example given, it is thought to conduce to a better understandingof the nature of the elements going to make up the selected structuralexample, and the relation of these elements, to suggest certain steps ofa preferred method of building a baseball bat; accordingly, although thestructure is stressed and claimed, description of structurev ishereinafter correlated, in a degree, with method steps. y f

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, it is greatlypreferred, although not strictly essential, that the shaft-like body ofthe article be formed by winding its outer elements on a startingmandrel or core portion; this is indicated generally at I and extends bypreference but not necessarily, through the full length of the bat orother shaft, and in order to facilitate production in case of a woundbody structure, the tube l0 is reduced somewhat in diameter toward andthrough the handle portion of the bat, as indicated at Il. Y

The tube I0 is preferably formed of a relatively rigid metal stock,seamless in nature, and is prothereof, in

vided for a purpose to appear with internally threaded end portionsindicated at I2 at the outer end, and at I3 at the handle end. Into eachof these threaded portions fits a threaded plug I4 at the outer end, anda. similar closure I5 at the handle end. These closures may betransversely kerfed as at I6 (Fig. 3) or provided with spaced spannersockets to facilitate insertion and removal as desired. Besides thefunction of tube I0 as a core portion or mandrel in formation and theshaft or bat, aswell as an axial reinforcement, the bore of the tube I0may also readily serve the purpose of a receiver for balancing in.

serts. These may be of lead or other metal and are indicated generallyat I1, being of any suitable or individually desired length andintervened by or cushioned endwise with inserts 20 of corkv or the like,the latter being alsoiof suitable or individually desired lengths andnumber.

It will now have become obvious that by varyingthe location of thebalancing weight elements I1 in the bore of tube I0, and maintainingtheir selected position by the proper number and location of the corkelements, which like the weight elements rather snugly rit the bore, anydesired individual balance ofitheibat may be attained. It is realizedthat, of itself, similar provisionsfor balancing elongate articles haveheretofore been made, hence no claim is made for this feature apart fromthe present combination. Some balancing provision is, however,particularly desired for effecting complete individualization4 of thearticle.

Outwardly of the core identified with tube I0, the body of the shaft,bat or the like is built up by winding over and around the core, aseries of relatively narrow strips of wood veneer,` each preferably ofminimum thickness. While itwill now have appeared as obvious to wrap theindividual strips of veneer 2| in a direction at a right angle totheaxisof l the tube I0, it is preferred as makingfor greater strength, and toeliminate completely any effects of grain in the veneer, to lay up thewound servings of veneer in a directionv somewhat biased to a normalrelation, as will clearly appear from the dotted` lines demarking theouter turns or servings of the veneer, in Fig. l.

It is of course contemplated that the Wrapping of the individualservings will be effected by power equipment, and for this purpose,temporary journalling Vand supporting trunnions or-pins (not shown) maybe threaded into each end of the tube I0, say into the threaded seatsI2, throughA whichlthe core ID may be power-rotated andthe strips ofveneer 2I fed to the rotating tube or mandrel, from suitable supplyrolls thereof. Continuity of feed mayreadily and conveniently bemaintained by securing together the finishing and beginning'ends of theveneer strip, as by a thermoplastic or other bonding material which maybesimilar to that hereinafter referred to, and which may be utilized forthis purpose either in the form of a liquid or a thin film. It may alsobe notedl as entirely feasible to derive the taper of the shaft, as in abaseball bat,by directing -a feedof relatively thinner strip veneer ontothe handle portion of the implement, andthe relatively heavier gaugematerial onto the striking portion of the nishedarticle, whereby thereresults substantially or exactly, the desired taper, as well as initialbalance and shaping of the article. v

Itis a further preferencein the construction of a baseball bat toprovide for a feed,automatic or manual, of a supply of a preferablythermosetting synthetic resin such as frequently used in plywoodpractice, onto or between the adjacent surfaces of the continuouslywound plies or layers of the bat. The thermo-setting material is fed atsuch a rate .and in suflicient amounts so as to provide interveninglayers, between the adjacent wound strips of veneer, as indicated at 22,and in such further amounts and locations that the plastic will occupy,but not substantially extend from the spaces indicated at 23, edgewisevof the adjacent continuous strips.

It is als'o a preference in building up the body of the shaft, asdescribed, from wound strips or layers of wood veneer, to leave theouter serving of veneer free of the plastic, at least free of any addedplastic material, except in the very minute lines of edgewise junctureof the several strips, as in the zone 24 (Fig. 1) ,and possibly alsoexcepting the end zones of the structure, as later described.

As a convenient expedient in starting the winding operation of theveneer stripl over themandrel I0, the latter may be provided withangularlyiand axiallyspaced slots, or with tongues or the like (notshown) of just a width to lreceive the start-v ing end` portions of theveneer strip. This or a similar provision is particularly advisablesince it is a preference in winding the veneer `onto the mandrel or coreI0, to maintain it under Yan appreciable tension, whereby to assureagainst wrinkling or warping effects, and to obviate any misshapementwhich might otherwise appear from ballooning portions in the startinglorintermediate layers as wound.

At the finish end of each servingof veneer strip, depending upon thethickness of. veneer employed, it may sometimes be advisable ordesirable to feather or taper the marginf'of` the strip, and to secure`such strip byan' added localized coating of a thermosetting or otherplastic. This requirement may, however, be obviated'by a windingpractice such that the finishingends of the strips will fall within anouter end zone25, or in an end zone 26, the latter constituting as willappear, vpart of the handle portion of the bat. The foregoing suggestionis made vin view of a further preferencev of providing each of the endzones 25 and 25 with an overlayer of a plastic material similar to or atleast chemically compatible with the bonding layer'221between 'thewrappings, servings orplies of the body or shaft.` These overlayersextend preferably fully about the circumference of each end of theimplement, and as will now readily appear, serve each as a protectingand securing sleeve'over the finishing ends of the wound strip ofveneer. The overlayer 25 will serve a further valuable purpose in thatit covers over and assists in producing the desired conformity aroundthe otherwise exposed ends of the veneer strips in this zone. Theplastic overlayer 25 thus forms in eifect a protecting cap over theouter end of the bat.

At the inner or handled end of the implement, the overlay26 will servesimilarly to the overlay 25, the several noted purposes, but in thiszone a somewhat increased amountv of the plastic is added, particularlyatthe extreme end of the bat,

4 so as to form the collar or knob-like protuberance 30 resembling thatprovided on conventional baseball bats.

As an optional, and in many respects equally preferable practice, 4informing up the body of the shaft, the veneer strips 2I may consist notof plastic material. With this practice it may not be necessary to addin a separate operation, the resin or other plastic material to cementthe several layers together. However, a thermo-setting plastic beingpreferred, it is a present preference after the veneer strips are woundas described about the tube l and the overlayers 25 and 26 built intoplace, to place the now formed but as yet uncompleted article in asuitable mold or otherwise to confine it under conditions of suitabletemperature and pressure for effecting a setting of the plastic, eitherby polymerization as is contemplated in present production, or byevaporation of solvent or other effect according to nature of theplastic materialsemployed.

The described curing operation in a pressure mold, assuming aphenol-formaldehyde resin to be employed as a thermosetting plastic,may, for example, be carried out in a steam-heated hydraulic press at atemperature selected for optimum results, say in a range of 280-300degrees F. and at a pressure. of 2100 lbs., ten to fifteen minutes presstreatment being usually sufcient to cure the plastic intervening orimpregnating the several strip layers 22, as well as that forming theoverlays and 26. Upon removal from the press after completion of thecure, it will now appear that the article will consist of whatmay beconsidered essentially an integra1 or unitary article, all parts ofwhich in comparable section are of close to uniform strength, free ofinternal defects, closely similar in appearance and weight, toconventional baseball bats for example, and susceptible with thebalancing provisions mentioned, vof being custom-balanced to meet theindividual desires of the user.

Complete individualizaticn of the bat or other article, as to contouringand balance may be effected by building the article somewhat oversize inany zone, or over its entire length if desired. The oversize portionsmay be reduced by sanding or otherwise abrading to result in any exactcontour desired. This may be done with the aid of an article formerlyused by the individual, or by a developed template or other pattern, innumerous ways`which will now readily suggest themselves.

It will now have become obvious that quite the same principles describedin the construction of baseball bats may equally well and with markedadvantage be utilized in manufacture of other shafts in swinging orstriking implements; for example, there exists by virtue or" the presentimprovements a noteworthy facility for varying flexibility, as in a golfclub shaft, by variation of nature, width, thickness and tension ofinitial application of the wound strips, as well as by variation of thebonding plastic materials. The same advantages prevail in themanufacture of numerous other manually utilized implements for varioussporting and utilitarian purposes.

It will now have become obvious that the present improvements leadthemselves to a wide variation in both choice and nature of materials tobe utilized with and bonded by the selected plastic such as thethermosetting material described. It is in fact contemplated that,instead of distinct strips' of veneer, shaft elements may be formed upof strips or masses of other materials Wound on or otherwise applied toa starting core and bonded in position, possibly also with the finalshape of the article determined and perfected by molding under pressure.

Although the invention has been described by making specic reference toa selected construction of baseball bat, the detail of description is tobe understood solely in an instructive and not in any limitingsense,many variations being possible within the scope of the claimshereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:v f

1. A shaft for use as a striking implement or the like, formed of aplurality of spirally-arranged laminations of a wood veneer, layers of aplastic bonding material intervening at least certain of thelaminations, and a cap of a similar plastic material, molded over ahandle forming end of the implement, and projecting endwise beyond thewood veneer, the cap being enlarged to form an annular collar, andextending inwardly along the shaft suiliciently to icover and secure theend margin of the outermost serving of veneer.

2. In a striking implement for manual use, an elongate body including atubular core and a plurality of laminations of wood arranged in woundrelation over and about the core, a body of a polymerized plastic resincoextensive with each of said laminations and serving to bond thelaminations into an integral or unitary structure, and a body of asimilar resin at each end of the implement, molded on and bonded to theedges of the wound laminations otherwise exposed at the ends of theimplement.

3. In a baseball bat or similar implement, an elongate tapered bodyconsisting of a plurality of spirally wrapped wood laminations, layersof ther- ,mosetting synthetic resin adjacent each of and Vconstituting abond between said layers, and a molded cap of the resin, overlying eachend of the implement, one of said caps `constituting a securement for anend of the outermost lamination.

4. A baseball bat or the like, comprising a shaft built up at least inpart of a convolute series of laminations of strip veneer impregnatedwith a resin, polymerized in the convolute laminations as laid up toform the shaft, the outer serving of veneer strip being continuous overthe length of the shaft and terminating in the handle portion of theimplement, and a collar and cap structure at the handle end of theshaft, overlying the end of the outer serving 4of strip, being molded toprovide the collar, and formed of a resin comparable, in polymerizingcharacteristics, with that in the veneer laminations.

5. A shaft or body for use as a sporting implement or the like, theshaft being formed of laminations of veneer wound about the axis of theshaft and bonded by a setting plastic material, the shaft having certainportions covered by plastic overlays, which extend over otherwiseexposed end portions of the veneer, the overlays being of roundedIcontouring in part, serving to conceal and protect the otherwiseexposed edges of the veneer against spalling eifects.

6. A body or shaft for a striking implement or the like, constructed ofstrips of veneer wound in biased relation about the axis of the shaft,the outer end of the wound veneer strip being brought to lie in theregion of a handle portion of the shaft or implement, and the latterprovided with a resin overlay, in the region of and serving as aprotection for said outer end of the veneer strip.

7. A baseball bat or similar implement of tapered section, formed ofwound strips of wood veneer in wrapped relation about the longitudinalaxis of the bat and including amounts of a thermosetting plasticmaterial arranged to bond the faces and adjacent edge portions of thesuperposed wrapped strip portions of the veneer, the outer surface ofthe striking portion of the bat or the like, including a `core element,strip ma- 10 terialsoverlying Athe core element `in bias-.Wound relationthereto, and impregnated with a thermosetting'plas'tic polymerized insitu about the core and betweenlayers of the strip, and anend cap of thepolymerized plastic, which with the wound strip and` adjacentplastid-determines and xes. .the configuration, shaping, and dimensionsof the implement.

THEODORE 1L. JOHNSON.

